The new Channel 4 six-part series is in an unlikely setting for comedy...and that's not the only reason we'll be watching it

Preview

BY ELEANOR RELF

23rd September 2016, 12:01 am

Updated: 1st December 2016, 4:38 pm

1 It may not seem a likely subject for comedy, but Damned is set among social workers in the Children’s Services department of a local council. It started life as a Playhouse Presents pilot on Sky Arts, but it’s now a six-part series on Channel 4.

4 Jo’s inspiration came from close to home. “My mum is a social worker – she’s 82,
but still hasn’t quite managed to retire,” she reveals. “Her job was part of my life since I was a child.”

Channel 4

Alan Davies plays Rose's colleague Al

5 The comedian was keen to stand up for a profession that is often demonised. “People resent social workers because they think they’re telling them how to live their lives. When they do a good thing, you never find out as it’s classified. So you only hear about things when they go wrong.”

6 The cast did plenty of research – and were shocked by what they heard. “We
have one particular social worker who feeds us a lot of information,” explains Jo, 59. “But anything that’s happened [in real life] to generate an idea [in the show] is actually much, much worse. We’ve made it nicer.” Alan, 50, agrees: “We said: ‘You can’t put that in, no one would believe it.’”

7 Damned is shot with hand-held cameras, documentary-style – which Alan found refreshingly different. “I haven’t worked this way before. You don’t really know what’s being filmed at any one time. I don’t think the director always knew himself,” he quips. “And you could improvise. Seeing as there were a load of comedians in the room, they may have thought of the odd line.”

Channel 4

The team filmed in a real social-services office in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire

8 The team filmed in a real social-services office in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. “There was natural light, which was nice,” explains Alan. “When you’re in a studio, you’re vitamin-D deficient by week two. It was cluttered and a bit chaotic, but it felt right.” That wasn’t the only perk. “There was lots of drawer space for Haribos too, which cheered us up,” adds Jo.

9 Jo never saw herself starring in Damned. “I didn’t want to be in it, they made me,” she insists. “It’s not false modesty, but I really was so busy and slightly mentally ill that I really didn’t think I could do it.” Alan jokes: “That came through in the shoot.”

10 So what does Jo think social workers will make of it? “Comedy lets you get a message across to people about things that are really awful,” she explains. “Just because something makes you laugh, it doesn’t mean you don’t respect the situation. I hope they think we’re nice people – and it’s funny.”